Single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) processors are characterized by having an array of processors that perform the same operation simultaneously on every element of a data array. Vector processing, an application of SIMD processors, uses vector instructions, which specify the operation to be performed and specify the list of operands, i.e., the data vector, on which it will operate.
The use of processor arrays and vector processing can result in extensive parallelism, resulting in high execution speeds. Yet, despite impressive execution speeds, getting data in and out of the processor can be a problem. Execution speeds are less useful if input/output speeds cannot keep up.
In many applications, such as video processing, real-time processing speed is desirable. Yet, a stumbling block to real-time processing is the large amount of data that must be processed to generate the pixels, lines, and frames of a video picture.
A need exists for an easily manufactured SIMD processor that maximizes data input rates without increasing manufacturing costs. Although the need for such processors is not limited to television, digital television processing involves processing tasks, such as scan rate conversion and various filtering processes, for which a processor with a fast throughput is desirable.